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United States Patent | 6,178,569 |
Quintana | January 30, 2001 |
A flow control device for a toilet to prevent flooding upon obstructing of a waste outlet of a toilet bowl. The device includes at least one sensor assembly mounted on a rim of a bowl of a toilet or urinal to hold the sensor assembly in a predetermined position within the bowl. If water bridges contacts on the at least one sensor assembly, an electrical circuit is completed, and a solenoid is actuated to close a normally opened valve to shut off running water to the water tank of the toilet. A power source and a valve open alarm system are electrically connected to the at least one sensor assembly and the solenoid actuated valve.
Inventors: | Quintana; Richard (Westminster, CA) |
Assignee: | Niccole Family Trust (Huntington Beach, CA) |
Appl. No.: | 408287 |
Filed: | September 28, 1999 |
Current U.S. Class: | 4/427; 4/406; 73/304C; 137/392; 137/558; 340/620 |
Intern'l Class: | E03D 011/02; E03D 011/18 |
Field of Search: | 4/366,367,406,415,421,427,508,325 340/604,605,618,620 73/304 C,304 R 116/109,227 137/392,558 |
3984877 | Oct., 1976 | Kirby | 4/661. |
4203173 | May., 1980 | Morris et al. | 4/427. |
4547768 | Oct., 1985 | Kulhavy | 340/620. |
5305475 | Apr., 1994 | Jaeckels et al. | 4/325. |
5731758 | Mar., 1998 | Suttlemyre et al. | 340/612. |
5732417 | Mar., 1998 | Pondelick et al. | 4/427. |
5940899 | Aug., 1999 | Mankin et al. | 4/427. |